By Emily Williams
The metal and glass, mid-century modern facade of luxury gift and jewelry store Bromberg’s is an iconic fixture in the landscape of Mountain Brook Village.
On Nov. 20, the Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon-cutting at the store to celebrate the building’s 60th anniversary.
“The Mountain Brook store was our first branch store,” said marketing manager Anne Yoder. “We were downtown in three different locations – including the one that our corporate office is currently in (123 20th St. N.) – before they decided to branch.”
Current President Ricky Bromberg is the sixth generation to lead Bromberg & Co.
The luxury gift and jewelry business is 35 years older than the city of Birmingham, founded in Mobile in 1836 by Frederick G. Bromberg.
“We’re actually a year older than Tiffany’s, because they were founded in 1837,” Yoder said.
The business survived the Civil War and in 1900 was relocated to Birmingham, which was becoming a “boom town.”
It wasn’t until 1959 that the leadership of Bromberg’s decided to expand and open a location in Mountain Brook Village.
Mayor Stewart Welch said it is a huge achievement when any small business survives multiple generations, and Bromberg’s has been in operation and has remained family owned for 184 years.
“It’s almost impossible to keep a family business together for even three generations,” said Welch.
